The Book of Ashe

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Thorne

“Cennarious, god of the hunt, placed on the earth three cities of such great beauty that nothing on Earth or in the Heavens could compare”

Thorne is the prize of the Druid cities. With walls that reach higher than most trees and gates made of living wood, it is the military power of Tharamond.
Gods above was it good to be home. Home, away from all the suffering and warfare. As we approached the massive gates of the city a sense of well being and refuge washed over us. Watchmen at the gates sounded a horn and the gates creaked open. Soon we rode down the cobblestone streets of Thorne.
My last memories of Thorne were nothing like it was now. The cold reach of the war had reached the Tri-Cities. Nowhere did children play in the streets. Nowhere were merchants selling goods on the throughways. The streets were strangely vacant and those we did see looked tired and depressed. Several buildings had been damaged and many others were vacant. It felt as if the very warmth of the city had been sucked dry.
The closer we got to the temple at the heart of the city, the more abandoned homes and buildings we saw.
“Where is everyone? It’s like a ghost town.” Raven stated.
“They left when the Astral Rider marched on us.” The voice speaking seemed familiar, We all turned our mounts to see Shadowblade sitting bareback on her horse.
“Most have fled to Elder. Thorne is a military state these days. "Come.” She turned her horse and led us up the main throughway to the gates of the temple.
The temple sits on a raised marble platform twice the size of the foundations and has pillars that reach a hundred and fifty feet, supporting a massive stone roof. The temple has no walls, but instead is open to the elements. At the Eastern end is a large set of pearl white stairs and at the Western end is a statue of Artina, beloved goddess of wisdom and magic. It is one of the greatest jewels of us Druids. Shadowblade led us to the base of the great altar, whereupon Artina stood. The base was lined with what looked like large crystal bowls. Each was filled halfway with water and is used just like the make-shift Etheral Halls. Yet they gave off no mist, like others I had seen.
"They aren’t working?" I asked dumbly, and got a nasty look from Shadowblade.
"It has gotten too dangerous to use them here, what with all the storms." Her voice was littered with annoyance.
"We have suffered massive causalities among the lower ranked Druids." She continued.
"Hell, we have suffered massive causalities among the higher ranks as well." Raven countered. There seemed to be conflict between Shadowblade and Raven. Not hatred, just a distinct coolness there. From what I don't know, neither really had any reason to dislike the other that I knew of. Perhaps it stemmed from Raven and Flamedancer's friendly relationship and the fact that Shadowblade and Flamedancer were bitter enemies. Politics among the Circle are a headache to me. Too many shadowy secrets. One likes to at least have the illusion that his side is all light and bubbly, but in reality there are a few druids who seem more fitting to follow the Queen of Blades. I try to shy away from their dark deeds in these writings, for no other reason than it rests more easily with me.
Behind the altar is a small entrance that leads down to one of the Council room the circle uses for meetings. I had never before been down below the temple. It was a long way down on a gently slopping floor. Shadowblade led the way. Down down we went till I was sure we would fall out the other side of the world. Then suddenly the darkness vanished and we stood in a magically lit room. The sudden brightness startled me, and upon glancing behind me I could see that the corridor we had just exited was magically darkened. The room itself was very large and round, with a round table of mammoth size in the center. Engraved along the edges were the symbols of each Druid clergy. Nightchaser and Starhawk were already waiting in the chamber. Nightchaser paced quickly back and forth at the far side of the room, while Starhawk sat lazily in a chair bearing his seal. Both looked up as we entered. Starhawk glanced at me and then looked questioningly at Raven.
Raven strode up to the table and laid upon it a heavy, leather case. Shadowblade stood beside her, dark eyes gleaming. It was shocking, the similarities between those two. They looked like sisters almost. Nightchaser thrust her head forward curiously and eyed the case. Starhawk seemed unintrigued and seemed more interested in my presence than that of the case.
With a flick of her hand, Raven opened the case. Inside were stacks of old papers. Very old papers. In fact the same old papers that I had been translating for her. An almost inaudible whisper passed through the room and it seemed that something unseen moved among us.
"These were recovered from Shekara's forces while we were in the south. They carry an old and powerful charm on them and only one person has been able to decipher them." Raven said, glancing at me as she finished. All eyes turned on me. Did I feel awkward? You bet your ass I did. I just stood there staring back.
Starhawk was interested now. He moved up slowly, and reached his hand out twice to touch the documents and twice he pulled his hand back, as if he expected them to bite, and from experience, bite they do.
"What are these?" Starhawk asked with a certain degree of awe.
"I do not know, I haven't read them." Raven said.
Starhawk looked at me. His eyes were kind but hard and seemed to be looking into the soul of an ancient oak tree.
"Ashe?" He asked quietly.
I revealed to all four of them the select parts that I had managed to decipher. It took a while to explain it out and they each became more and more disturbed as I went on. When I had finished Chaser and Hawk looked troubled, Raven looked as solemn as I have ever seen her. Shadowblade remained unchanged. I began to think that nothing could phase her.
"Well it's obvious that we don't know everything about these papers or the location of this Vigil. Yet they carry a terrible poison within them. We cannot risk exposing anyone of ourselves to its venom. They must be destroyed." Starhawk said plainly.
"Now wait, these papers refer to a power unparalleled in this world. Perhaps powerful enough to vanquish Shekara. We could use it. It speaks plainly enough of the Vigil laying in a wasted land ." Nightchaser said. To me, "Map maker, show me your northern most map."
Confused, I dug through my pouch and retrieved one of my oldest maps. Its bottom showed the Tri-Cities, then above them, about seven hundred miles, the High Northern Mountains. Beyond that was a large plain that simply faded to blank another seven hundred miles out.
"No one alive today has ever been past Ice Drake Peak, but our ancestors had, long ago and from their stories and tales here would be an ideal place." Chaser said indicating the blank spot.
"Stories and tales? That’s what your basing this on? Two thousand year old stories and tales?" Starhawk asked unimpressed.
"Yes, our forefathers passed this knowledge on for a reason! We should send a party out to at least try to find this source of power."
"Do you think we have the man power to spare to go off treasure hunting?" Shadowblade asked, her voice was razored with flint.
An argument of grand scale ensued, with me backing up into Raven's shadow. No one seemed to pay me any mind, for which I was thankful. By the time everyone really lost their temper a deal had been struck and accommodations for both sides had been made.

Valmire walked along the dark, dank streets of Thorne, throwing glances over his shoulder every so often. It was a foggy, moonless night and only the feeble torch-lamps poorly lit the streets. He stopped at an intersection and looked both ways. He saw no one. Not one soul was out on this dark night. He turned down a street and kept walking, growing more nervous as he went. He stopped suddenly as he heard the patter of footsteps behind him. He spun around on the shadows only to find he was still alone.
Grumbling he continued his midnight trek. He was still grumbling and cursing the cold air when a low voice inquired, "How are you may dear?"
Valmire spun around again, but wasn't fast enough. A ghostly figure flung itself from the shadows. Red eyes and pale skin. The creature wrapped him in a strong embrace and with flashing speed sunk it's to elongated teeth into the flesh of his neck.
Valmire awoke with a start. He was covered in a cold sweat and was shaking. He looked around his dark cell, wide-eyed, but he was alone in the room. Had it been a dream? He felt of his neck, expecting to find blood flowing freely, but none was there. Slowly he lowered his head. This was the third night the nightmares had come, and each time they were the same. Each time Bloodpact was hunting him down. Each time he fell under that demon's fangs. It was beginning to control him in his waking hours. The druids allowed him out whenever he wished, but these last few days he refused to leave the safety of his cell. He jumped at every noise and double checked every shadow; sure that Bloodpact was waiting for him.

Insane laughter echoed through the dark halls of the Black Citadel. Shadowy things scattered here and there, trying to flee the noise. Shekara strode through a pair of black doors, into the top chamber of the Citadel. She stood in front of a large window, staring out across the war-torn land.
"Their southern armies are no more and their northern armies are so weak that they dare not launch an offensive. We have only the army led by Flamedancer to destroy and Tharamond will be mine!" She said to no one in particular, even though the room was full of servants.
"My lady mistress, the black ships have landed in the west and swarms of Hellbringers have been arriving. We have enough to refit Lord Lifestealer's forces." A trembling servant squeaked.
"Yes, and my missing child is returning to me as we speak!" She said to the servant. To a shimmering corner, "Your actions have proved greater than I had suspected. You are indeed faithful."
A faint hissing voice answered in a thank you.
"...But, I have more work for you to do. I need five generals and have only four. You will be my fifth!" She said sternly.
"An honor my dark queen." The shimmer spoke. A dark figure eased slowly from the shadows, towards Shekara. A figure that couldn't decide if it was an older man dressed in a simple black robe or a black scaled demon. It walked to its mistress, changing forms as it went.
"You will go now to the city of Thorne and you will recover the tomes of Leprous from the druids and bring them back here." Shekara ordered. The shifting figure nodded.
"Do not fail me Lycanthrope! Do Not Fail Me!"

A party of twenty-three people stood outside the massive gates of Thorne. Crossbow and Raider were on either side of me. Stormraven was in front and Jayden behind. Flask and Muffins stood behind Crossbow, while Silverwolf and a band of fifteen well armed soldiers stood behind Raider. We all rode upon Druidic horses. Faster than wind and magical in nature, they were a true prize. Stormraven inched her stallion forward to me. She produced a weather worn leather pouch, containing the ancient tomes. She eyed me hard as she handed them to me.
"We count on you and your skills as a sage to get us through this safely Ashe!" She said, her voice hard.
The circle had decided to let us twenty-three go north, in search of the Vigil. I was to translate the tomes further and guide us there. I was nervous as a whore at mass. I had had a run in already with these damn things and almost hadn't recovered. The leather pouch was heavy in my hands. I fiddled with the straps binding it and removed the first page. The circle had been able to piece together the pages in rough order. The page was dry and almost seemed brittle in my hand.
The landscape was something out of a madman’s worst dreams. The dead lay in heaps rotting. Men, women, and children all decaying under a sky of blood stained clouds. Swirls of dust whipped about. Disemboweled animals of all kinds hung from dead trees. Fires burned out of control in some places. A dark mountain pass sat silhouetted against the crimson sky. Thunder and lightning blasted around playfully.
"Ashe! You ok?"
I stared up into a pair of blue eyes. Jayden stood over me, down on one knee. I was lying on the ground, my mount beside me looking confused and shocked. I sat up quickly and my head pounded like a drum.
"Yeah I'm fine."
"What did you see?" That was Raven. She looked down from her mount. She looked plum menacing from down here. I described as best I could what I saw. The stench of rotting flesh still hung in my nose. Raven nodded once, sharply, then said, "I want you by my side at all times, and if not with me, then with Silverwolf! Understand?" She wasn't playing games. I felt that she was more concerned about what these tomes might do to me than finding the Vigil.
"Yes ma'am." I said, standing with Jayden's help.
"We will need to rely on your visions to get us there safely." She said, then turned her mount and began trotting away. I quickly remounted my steed and followed suite, with Silverwolf dogging me only a few steps behind. Jayden rode close to my left and Raider close to my right.